Method of drawing off chain knitted articles



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METHOD OF DRAWING OFF CHAIN KNITTED ARTICLES Filed Sept. 2, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 //VrE/ f0& RICH KRM/SE b WMQW n rronms v United States Patent METHOD OF DRAWING OFF CHAIN KNITTED ARTICLES Erich Krause, Bopfingen, Wurttemberg, Germany, assignor to Universal Maschinenfabrik G.m.b.H., Westhausen, Wurttemberg, Germany, a corporate body of Germany Filed Sept. 2, 1959, Ser. No. 837,717

3 Claims. (Cl. 66-150) This invention relates to a method of and an apparatus for drawing off, from a knitting machine, continuously knitted knitted elements (i.e. elements which are connected together as a continuous piece of knitting but can be separated from one another) the beginning of each of which is abruptly wider than the end of the previously knitted element. In order to exert the necessary tractive force on the corners of the beginning of an element being knitted, which corners project laterally beyond the end of the previously knitted element, it is known to provide an inlay loaded by a counter-weight. These inlays may, for example, be formed by books, the free arms of which correspond to the lengths of the projecting corners of the beginning of the element being knitted and which are inserted from the side. In the known machines of this kind, however, a complicated construction is necessary for the automatic control of these hooks.

The method according to the invention is characterised in that an inlay in the form of a thread is inserted into the beginning of the element being knitted, over the entire width thereof, and then the inlay is clamped fast at both ends on both sides of the working width by clamping devices and is stretched taut by separational movement of the clamping devices, which occurs automatically during the increase of the knitted length.

Where it is already known to connect together, temporarily, individual knitted elements by means of knittedin inlays in the form of connecting threads, the knitting procedure involved is one in which considerable difficulties occur as soon as the beginning of the element being knitted is wider than the end of the previouslyknitted element, because in that case with the conventional fabric draw-ofi (e.g. by means of cylinders or rollers) the tractive force (which is applied through the previously-knitted element) is not transmitted to the leading corners of the element being knitted part, which corners project laterally beyond the end of the previously-knitted part. These difficulties are overcome by the invention, since the tractive force is exerted by the clamping devices.

The invention permits the drawing off of continuouslyknitted knitted parts independently of their varying width at the points of transition, in a fully automatic manner and without any interruption of the knitting process.

Apparatus for carrying into effect the method aforesaid advantageously comprises a pair of tong-like clamping devices, which are disposed one on each side of the working width and which engage the two ends of the inlay in the form of a thread, and are mounted to be rockable in such manner that, by their rocking movement, they separate or increase the distance between the clamping points and thus tension the inlay. By way of example, the clamping devices may be loaded by weights and be slidable by means of pins or rollers in angled guides in such manner that, as knitting progresses, the clamping devices, by their downward movement, rock automatically outwardly to their tensioning positions and remain in said positions. A known feed device may serve for the insertion of the thread connecting the knitted parts. Adjacent one of the clamps holding the inlay thread, a cutting device may be provided, which cutting device is controlled in the working cycle of the machine. The end of the inlay thread subjected to tension or traction is threaded in by the feed device and in order to prevent its springing back after cutting, a third clamping device acting automatically by the thread tension may be provided on the thread guide.

In order to hold the inlay thread reliably during the entire drawing-off of a knitted element, the jaws of the clamping devices are preferably kept closed by constraint until the completion of the drawing off of the element being knitted, for example by contact against guides, and are released preferably only after the clamped thread has passed between draw-off rollers, whereupon the clamping jaws, for example under the action of a spring, open automatically and release the inlay.

In order to prevent the loops of the knitted fabric from sliding on the inlay, the thread used as inlay advantageously has uneven regions, and is at the same time made such that it will withstand the necessary tension. Inlay threads of a synthetic material have proved particularly satisfactory. The surface of the thread can be made uneven, for example by winding a thin filament around it helically.

One embodiment of the invention is illustrated, by way of example, in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figures 1A and 1 respectively show two different continuously-knitted knitted elements, namely jersey or cardigan sleeves and backs, in which in each case the beginning 1, 1 of each knitted element is wider than the end 2, 2' of the previously-knitted knitted element;

Figure 2 is a side view taken in the plane of knitting of a clamping device of the invention showing the means for feeding the inlay thread;

Figure 3 is a front view of the device of Fig. 2, but showing the weight acting on the device;

Figure 4 is a plan view of a cutting device associated with one of the clamping devices;

Figure 5 is a front viewsimilar to Fig. 2 but showing both clamping devices of the apparatus in two alternative positions, namely, those they adopt on insertion of the inlay thread (in chain-dotted lines) and those they adopt in the tensioning position (in solid lines);

Figures 6 and 7 show the feed device for inserting the inlay thread, the views being taken respectively in the plane of the knitting and perpendicularly to this plane;

Figure 8 is a magnified fragmentary view of an inlay thread; and

Figure 9 is an end view showing the positions of the draw-off rollers and the clamping device guides which extend as far as said rollers.

With reference to Figures 2 to 5, in a knitting machine, a tong-like clamping device 6 is provided on either side of the working width between the knockover bits of the usual needle beds 7 and 8. An inlay thread 3 intended to be tensioned is inserted over the entire working width of the machine, so as to be knitted into the fabric, by means of a funnel-shaped feed device 4 and is held fast on both sides by the jaws of the clamping devices 6. A cutting device 9, controlled in the working cycle of the machine, for the inserted thread is disposed beside the one clamping device, and serves, after insertion of the inlay thread 3, to sever the latter from a continuous supply from a bobbin 15 (Fig. 6).

The clamping devices 6 are loaded by weights 10, and are guided by pins or rollers 13 and 14 in angled guides 12 in such manner that, as knitting progresses, the clamping devices 6 rock automatically by their downward movement outwardly or away from one another into their tensioning positions shown in solid lines in Figure 5. Before the insertion of the thread 3 the clamping devices are arrested in their uppermost positions, which are shown in chain-dotted lines in Figure 5. After the closing of the clamps 6 to clamp the inlay thread, the arresting system is released. By the pull of the weights 10, the clamping devices then move downwardly and at the same time rock outwardly, so that the thread 3, which comes to lie over noses 5 of the clamping devices 6, is tensioned. As a result of this tensioning, the laterally projecting parts of the element being knitted are always kept parallel to the knockover edge.

. In order to prevent slipping of the knit loops relative to the tensioned inlay, the latter is provided with roughened or uneven regions. As an example, a synthetic plastic thread 3 is shown in Figure 8, about which a thinner filament 23 is wound helically.

The apparatus shown in Figures 6 and 7 for inserting the thread consists of a slide part 16, which is guided on a rail 17 parallel to the needles of the machine and which has a downwardly bent arm 18, which carries a funnel-shaped introduction nozzle 4 for the thread 3. The thread is drawn from the bobbin 15 with a certain tension. In order to prevent the thread from springing back after cutting, an automatically acting clamping device is disposed on the arm 18 and consists of a stop 19 and an eccentric 20, which eccentric rotates upon backward movement of the thread and presses the latter against the stop 19.

From Figure 9 it will be apparent that the jaws of the clamping device 6 are guided by constraint in a guide 12, on their downward movement, in such manner that the ends of the thread 3 remained clamped until the clamped thread has passed between a draw-off drum 21 and a counter roller 22. The clamping devices 6 then pass out of the guide 12 and the jaws open automatically, for example under the action of expanding springs, so that the inlay 3 is released and can be drawn out for the purposes of separating the individual knitted parts from one another.

I claim:

1. A method of drawing off, from a knitting machine, continuously-knitted knitted elements of which the leading edges are abruptly wider than the respective adjacent previously-knitted elements, which comprises inserting an inlay in the form of a thread across the beginning of each said knitted element over the entire width thereof, clamping the ends of said inlay with weighted clamping devices and, upon progression of the knitting of the respective element and increase in the length thereof, causing concurrent draw-off and separational movement of said clamping devices to stretch said inlay, concurrently with drawing off said elements.

'- 2. The method set forth in claim 1 characterised in that said inlay is a thread having a roughened surface to prevent slipping of the knitted element therealong.

3. The method set forth in claim 2 wherein said thread has a filament wound helically therearound.

No references cited. 

